The change that has occurred in human consciousness with the discovery of an evolving universe is far more profound than the change that came with the Copernican revolution. The revolution in science that has emerged from Einstein's theory of gravity, quantum mechanics, and nonlinear dynamics amounts to a radically new vision of reality. However, even though we have the mathematics, the real challenge today is to get this new understanding into our bodies, into our emotions, into our hearts.”

Brian Thomas Swimme

The emerging evolutionary vision of a new story of the universe – the epic of evolution – offers a comprehensive context for the further flourishing of Earth and man, which is urgently needed at this time. In his lecture, American astronomer and psychotherapist Stephan Martin will explore some of the breakthrough transformational insights of this holistic cosmic perspective and how we can apply them to the fields of education, spirituality and culture of our time today. He will also recall the ideas and work of two founding figures of the new cosmology: cultural historian Thomas Berry and cosmologist Brian T. Swimm, whose texts have been published in our country in the magazines Prostor, Tvar and Sedmá generace; Brian T. Swimm's book is currently being published The hidden heart of the cosmos (MALVERN) and publications by Stephan Martin Living a cosmic life / reflections on the cosmos, everyday life and personal experiences (PILGRIMS).

Stephan Martin is an American astronomer, lecturer, writer, teacher, and psychotherapist. He studied physics and astronomy, and his astronomical research focuses on dark matter, spiral galaxies, and the solar corona. He worked for NASA at the Space Telescope Science Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore as a Hubble Telescope specialist and is currently an adjunct professor of psychology and holistic sciences at John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, California; he is also co-director of the psychological aftercare program at the Center for Spiritual Development in Asheville, North Carolina. He helps people understand how they can see their own lives in an expanded cosmic perspective—what it means to live a full human life in an evolving universe. Martin's book of conversations about the mysteries of the universe and the nature of reality has been published in Czech Cosmic conversations (MALVERN 2016) with a total of eighteen leading scientists, spiritual teachers of various traditions and philosophers of transformation. And his book is currently being published Living a cosmic life (PILGRIMS 2019).